Pam Hernandez

BBA (Entrepreneurship) , 2010

Three semesters. Three campuses. And the flexibility to explore what a career in business could look like. These are a few of the reasons that Pam Hernandez chose to “stay local” and attend Simon Fraser University. Being able to challenge herself at every opportunity and graduate a well-rounded future leader is why Pam chose undergraduate business studies through the Beedie School of Business.

Pam moved with her parents to Canada from Mexico, knowing that the quality of education she would receive here would open doors later in life. To prepare for post-secondary, Pam chose to push herself in high school, joining as many activities as she could. While sustainable in high school, that level of involvement would require an adjustment in university. Committed to remaining an engaged student, Pam realized she needed to focus and be selective in her on-campus activities. “I got to know myself well while at Beedie. I continued to push the boundaries, but I made sure to participate in activities that would develop my leadership and management skills.”

Active on campus, Pam held several student-level executive positions with the Business Administration Student Society (BASS). For Pam, the defining moment came as VP, Events, where she oversaw her BASS 2008 chair successor and got a real taste for everything related to succession planning, in addition to learning people management skills (all but micromanagement). Being in her 4th year at the time, she was able to put all of her classroom learning into practice, in particular, the importance of fostering a culture of teamwork and using positive reinforcement.

Despite a full course load, active involvement in numerous initiatives, and working off-campus, Pam will be the first to tell students that regardless of how daunting it seemed at the time, the pressures associated with being a student were well worth it. However, she would also advise students to work hard to make people and relationships a priority. “While at school and throughout life, find the healthy balance with family and friends. You can’t work to the point that you lose those relationships, as your overall happiness and performance will suffer.”

Currently working as a project manager for the Web Channel team at TELUS, Pam balances life post-graduation by giving back to Simon Fraser University through her work with the Alumni Association and by serving in an advisory capacity for initiatives that she had been part of as a student, such as coaching case competition teams for Beedie. Later this year, she will rejoin the JDC West alumni-filled coaching team as co-head coach – an experience whose moments she will be sure to capture and share with her online Instagram community.